Date of birth:

February 10th, 1910 (Warsaw, Poland)

Date of death:

April 27th, 1980 (Wellington, New Zealand)

Service number:

P1527/500028

Nationality:

Polish (1918-1939, IInd Republic)

Born on 10 February 1910 in Warsaw, where he graduated from a primary school and the Radio Engineering School. Between 1928 and 1930 he was the head of laboratory in the Philips Plants in Poland. He was studying in the Wawelberg and Rotwand Advanced Constructing and Electronics School. He also underwent basic military training, within the framework of air military training at Lublinek airfield near Lodz. He served in 1 Air Wing in Warsaw, and from 1935 he remained in professional service. In 1938 he completed a specialist course in the Air Force Training Centre No.1in Deblin, he stayed there as a flying instructor. In September 1939 he fought in a reconnaissance platoon of the Warsaw Armoured-Motorised Brigade. He reached France via Romania, and then he went to Great Britain (28 January 1940). On 5 July 1940 he was posted to 6 OTU in Sutton Bridge, on 4 August 1940 he was posted to No. 501 RAF Fighter Squadron, in which he fought in the Battle of Britain. On 15 August 1940 he shot down a Ju 87 and damaged a Do 215. On 24 August 1940 he shot down three Bf 109s and two Ju 88 bombers. He was the only Pole that shot down five aircraft on one day, and was credited with a title of One-day Ace. On 28 August 1940 he shot down another Bf 109. On 31 August 1940 he was shot down (in a Hurricane) near Gravesend airfield. On 10 February 1941 he was posted to 55 OTU at Usworth, where he was a flying instructor. On 7 November 1941 he was assigned to No.303 (Polish) Fighter Squadron at Northolt. On 7 February 1943 he was transferred to No. 308 (Polish) Fighter Squadron City of Krakow. Till 22 February 1944 he was a flight commander in the squadron, then he left for a practice at the USAAF. In May 1944 he was posted to 61 OTU. From 9 September 1944 till 16 July 1945 he was commanding No. 309
(Polish) Fighter Squadron Czerwiensk Land, equipped with American aircraft Mustang Mk. III. From 23 July 1945 he served in 60 OTU. Between October and November 1945 he served in No. 307 Squadron. From 1 December 1945 he was a liaison officer to 13 RAF Fighter Group. At the end of 1946 he performed duties of the commander of No. 302 (Polish) Fighter Squadron (till the disbandment). After demobilization he joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force, where he served until 1960. He worked subsequently in the Civil Aviation Department in Wellington, where he was responsible for sports and executive aviation.
He died on 27 April 1980 in Wellington.

Promotions:
August 1940: Sergeant
November 1941: Pilot Officer
1942: Flying Officer
February 1943: Flight Lieutenant
September 1944: Squadron Leader

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• Photo 1: Wikpedia.org
• - SHORES, CH. & WILLIAMS, C., Aces High, Grub Street, London, 1994.
  - Ciel de Gloire
  - AviationArt.pl
  - The Poles in the Front Lines of the World War II
  - The Battle Of Britain